Wholesome Day

Man v Horse

13 June 2014 - 13 June 2014

The Man v Horse Marathon began in June 1980 following a chat over a pint (or three) in the back bar of Neuadd Arms Hotel. The then Landlord, Gordon Green overheard two men discussing the relative merits of men and horses running over mountainous terrain. The enterprising Gordon, never one to miss an opportunity to promote Llanwrtyd Wells and improve business at his hotel, decided to put it to the test. And so began Green Events and its first, longest standing and now internationally acclaimed event, The Man versus Horse Marathon.

The course was changed in 1982 to provide a more even match between the man and the horse resulting year on year in very close finishes - sometimes with the horse winning by only a few seconds. It took 25 years before a man finally beat a horse, Huw Lobb won in 2hrs and 5mins beating the fastest horse by 2 minutes. His feat was repeated 3 years later by Florien Holtinger, but the horse has remained unbeaten for the 5 years since.

2014 will see the introduction of electronic timing, with each competitor wearing a tag which will automatically record their times. This should improve on the timeliness and accuracy of the results published.

This year also sees a revision of the prize monies, and we are re-introducing the escalating jackpot for a runner who beats the first horse and rider. This will start at £500 and increase by £500 per year until it is won. The previous jackpot received by Huw Lobb had reached £25,000! This does mean, however, that there will no longer be the 1,000 Guineas prize money for the fastest competitor, but there will be a great trophy.

Northward Hill is a nature reserve bursting with amazing wildlife and once a month you can join our team of conservationists who will help you get "hands on " with nature, exploring the relationship between birds and all our other wild creatures through the seasons.